Gustavo Garcia is a cook at a Vancouver restaurant, but his parents and sisters live in Mexico City.

"It was scary really," he said.

"A lot of buildings — around 30, 40 buildings — went down.

The city was in chaos.

One of the neighbourhoods close to my house was completely destroyed."

Garcia said he was overcome with relief when his mother called and said his family's home was safe.

But close by, many people needed help.

"[Across] the street. it was a school. It was a kindergarten and some of the students were trapped in the school as well. A friend of mine called me and said he was trying to help people, that there were people screaming," said Garcia.

"I wish I could be there to help."

The quake struck just hours after an annual drill which falls on the anniversary of a deadly earthquake in 1985.

Gustavo Garcia moved to Vancouver from Mexico City one year ago. (CBC)

'It's like gelatin'

UBC civil engineering professor Carlos Ventura studies earthquakes in an effort to make buildings safer, and has conducted research in Mexico.

He says Mexico City is unique because it is built on the bed of a former lake.

"It is mostly the type of material that is very soft — it's like gelatin," he said.

"Imagine a bowl of gelatin that you're shaking, and in the middle it shakes more and if you put buildings there then the shaking will increase significantly."

Ventura said he hopes to get a team of Canadian civil engineers together to travel to Mexico City to help in the rescue and rebuilding efforts.

Devastating news from Mexico City. My thoughts are with those affected by today’s earthquake - Canada will be ready to help our friends.